Autumn Whispers
by AmazingAly
Summary: Lovino Vargas had just been fired from his job as waiter and was about to give up on everything when he bumps into a lonely Spainard. One shouting match and a cup of coffee later, Lovino begins to feel comfortable around the Spaniard. Or maybe he's feeling something else. Collaboration with 8basketballdiva8 x
1. Chapter 1

**Neither Renee nor I own Hetalia. The characters belong to their respective owners. All we take claim for is the plot.**

**I wrote Lovino, and Renee wrote Antonio. Her parts are in Italics.**

**Now, enjoy~!  
**

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It was a brisk autumn day. Heavy winds sent dead leaves into a dance along the sidewalk. It was a beautiful sight, but Lovino couldn't care less – he just wanted to get home and curl up on the couch and not talk to anyone. He walked with his hands in the pockets of his sweater and music playing into his ears from his headphones.

_ Antonio walked down the street, head down and hood up. The sun was hidden by the clouds, leaving Antonio feeling lost, like he was missing something. He sighed audibly before looking at the grey sky, searching for any sign of the sun. It had always made him feel better, comforting him, and at a time like this, comfort was something he could use._

Kicking a pile of leaves in his path, he grunted. How could they have fired him? He wasn't doing anything wrong. He simply spoke what was on his mind – which, apparently didn't please the customers at the catina. He could scarcely heard footsteps nearby, but he ignored them.

_A pile of leaves blew into his face, drawing him out of his reverie and back into reality. An enraged looking man was walked towards him with loud music blaring out of his headphones. Antonio stared, half-intrigued and half-angry at the stranger for kicking leaves into his face._

Lost in his thoughts and blaring music, he almost walked straight into the mad in his path, a couple of leaves floating off of his jacket. He recognized the man from somewhere, but he couldn't tell where. Possibly a regular from the catina where he worked – well – used to work at.

"Mind moving over?" He snapped, feeling slightly bad after the remark escaped his lips, but not enough to apologize.

_"Mind watching your manners?" Antonio snapped back, not hesitating._

"Don't need 'em anymore," He muttered to himself as he tried to shove past. The stranger spoke with an accent – must be Spanish. He snorted.

_"¿Perdón?" Antonio grabbed the man's arm, obviously mad now. "I couldn't hear you, amigo. You were muttering."_

Lovino gritted his teeth and yanked his arm away. He didn't need to be yell at by anyone else – especially a Spanish stranger. "Just move, Spaniard!" I don't need anymore shit from anyone today!"

_"Fine then! Just get out of my face, will you?" Antonio yelled over his shoulder, walking away. "And learn some manners. That's probably why you've gotten shit."_

"That's none of your business!" He shouted back, trying to make his feet move to away. He felt his eyes burn, tears threatening to build up. Oh great, just what he needed. He crossed his arms, frustrated at everything.

_Antonio looked back, at first planning on giving the other man a dirty look, but he stopped when he saw the man's face. It was contorted in what looked like an effort to stop crying. His arms were crossed over his torso and his legs were practically shaking. Guilt washed over him, turning his feet around and making him walk back towards the man._

Managing to get his feet into a slight shuffle, he started to walk down the sidewalk, taking slower, sulkier strides before he heard footsteps again from behind him. Augh! He wasn't done yelling at him yet? He spun around to spit out another sarcastic remark but his words caught in his throat.

_Unbeliveably sad hazel eyes stared back at Antonio, almost causing him to gasp. Had he been the one to make those eyes so sad? Whatever the cause was, Antonio knew that he needed to do something to fix the problem._

_ "Listen, I'm sorry. I was out of line earlier. It hasn't been the best week for me." Antonio shrugged sheepishly._

Lovino would tell anyone else to fuck off and walk away, but there was something about the way the man spoke that seemed to melt some of his anger. Maybe it was that Spanish purr.

"Join the club." He sighed, looking at his shoes. A strong gust of wind cut through the air, causing him to shiver slightly.

_Antonio noticed the shiver. "Let me make it up to you, si? How about a cup of coffee?" The Spaniard felt slightly strange asking something he had almost assaulted for coffee, but it was the least he could do. The other man looked up at him again, eyes questioning._

"Oh, well…um…" His words jumbled inside his head. Why was this handsome man asking him for coffee? Wait, when did he stop being rude and start being handsome? Lovino sighed and managed to mumble a response, "Why not."

_Antonio smiled. The other man was so cute. "I know the perfect place. By the way, my name is Antonio."_

The stiff anger built up inside Lovino's muscles melted away at the Spaniard's bright smile. It was like the sun had bumped into him, yelled at him, and then asked him for coffee. He shook his head, still confused by it all. "I'm Lovino."

_They started walking. Antonio used this opportunity to break the ice. "Lovino, eh? That's such a nice name."_

He let out half of a laugh, "Uh, thanks." Walking beside Antonio, he was vaguely aware of the direction they were heading in, "Just where are we going anyway?"

_"There's this bakery right by my apartment. It's muy bien. You'll enjoy, trust me."_

"Oh…" He stumbled – he was never good with conversation. "So you're Spanish then?" He cursed himself in the head, why did every he said have to come out sounding stupid?"

_"Si. And you're Italian, no?"_

"Si." Another gust of wind blew past them, sending leaves flying into their path. He wished he had worn a heavier sweater.

_Lovino shivered again, and this time Antonio couldn't ignore it. He took off his own coat and placed it around Lovino's shoulders._

Lovino's heart fluttered in his chest. "Um, it's fine really…" He began. First offering him coffee and now handing over his jacket? This man has shown more kindness to Lovino within just a few minutes of knowing him then anyone had in quite some time.

_"It's not a problem. You looked cold." Smiling to himself at the Italian's face, Antonio led them down a side street and stopped in front of a café. "Here we are!" He announced, smiling. "La Luna, my mother's favourite café." Antonio opened the door, bowing and sweeping his arm forward for Lovino to enter._

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**We've got sooo much of this written already it's ridiculous. Hope you enjoyed!**

**~Aly and Renee**


	2. Chapter 2

**Neither Renee nor I own Hetalia. The characters belong to their respective owners. All we take claim for is the plot.**

**Now, enjoy~!  
**

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There he goes with that dazzling smile again. Lovino didn't know how much more of it he could take, but he followed the Spaniard into the small café. When they walked in, he was instantly hit with the warm scent of coffee and pastries.

_Antonio led his guest to a small booth by the window. A waitress walked over, handing them two menus. Small talk was made by Antonio and the waitress, speaking in rapid Spanish. She smiled and walked away._

_ Antonio only glanced at the menu, already knowing what he wanted. "Get whatever you like. I'm treating."_

Lovino actually smiled. "So I take it you often buy coffee for random grumpy people you meet on the street?" He snorted.

_It was the first time Antonio had seen Lovino smile. Once he saw it for the first time, he wanted to see it more. "Only people that catch my attention," He purred._

He caught himself blushing and then buried his face in the menu. He cursed himself; surely he had taken that the wrong way.

"Well, thanks I guess," He mumbled shyly.

_Antonio pulled the menu away from Lovino's face, staring and smiling. "Your face is so red, Lovi! Like a tomato!"_

"W-what? No it isn't!" He leaned back in his seat, gritting his teeth and willing himself not to look at that teasing smile. They had hardly known each other for fifteen minutes and Antonio talked as though they had been friends for years.

_"Is too! See?" Antonio leaned over the table, pulling out his phone and posing for a picture with Lovino. "Smile!" The camera clicked, catching Lovino by surprise. When Antonio showed Lovi the picture, he smiled brightly at the look on the smaller man's face._

"Agh! D-delete that!" Lovino grimaced, only making himself turn redder. He had always hated having his picture taken – nonetheless by a Spanish man he barely knew – but one quick glance into his sparkling green eyes extinguished any insult he could've thrown at him.

_"You're getting redder Lovi~" Antonio sang, enjoying teasing the man. His flustered expression made Antonio smile even bigger, sending both his heart and brain into overdrive. Antonio had never felt so happy as he had now, teasing Lovino, in the past year. The bliss that swept through him and settled in his nerves was a welcome change from all the depression._

Lovino rolled his eyes, "I am not." He sighed, annoyed but also partly amused. Antonio had seemed to completely forget that they were yelling at each other earlier, but hey, the less people that yelled at him the better. Just then the waitress approached their table asking to take their order.

_"Una café y torta de chocolate por favor." __Antonio spoke to the waitress in Spanish before turning to Lovino. "Do you know what you would like?"_

"Oh…solo una caffe per favore..." He mumbled, not even caring if Antonio could speak Italian or not.

_"That's it?" Antonio raised an eyebrow. "You should try a cannoli. They're molto buona. I'm treating, remember?"_

He shrugged. "If you absolutely insist." Lovino was becoming strangely comfortable around the Spaniard.

_Antonio added Lovino's food to the order. The waitress walked away, scribbling down notes in her book. He folded his hands and placed his chin on top of them, turning his head to look out the window. A feeling of morose sadness had washed over him. He refrained from talking so as not to draw Lovi into his depression. _

Lovino followed his gaze out the window and watched the cars pass by. The atmosphere –both inside the restaurant and the sky outside – became grey with the death of summer and the birth of winter. He shyly avoided looking at the man sitting across from him.  
_The minutes passed and the pair continued to look out the window. Their waitress came with their orders and they began to eat quietly. "May I ask you something, Lovi?"  
_"Hm?" Lovino responded through a small sip of his coffee.  
_"Why is it that you were almost crying earlier?"  
_"Oh…" Lovino stared into his drink, "Um… It's just been a shitty week..." he trailed off and nibbled on the cannoli, "Why hasn't your week been the best?" he mumbled after a pause.  
_Antonio hesitated. "I…failed school_

Oh. Lovino felt as though he should admit his own failure. He sighed, "I got fired." He spoke as though it meant nothing, but he could still feel his anger from earlier swelling up inside him.

_ "Fired?" Antonio's face fell. "Ay dios míos, that's terrible!" He broke off a piece of his cake and  
dipped it in his coffee, letting it soak before taking it out and placing it in his mouth. Tiny flecks of chocolate swirled in his coffee._  
Lovino sighed, "Sorry to hear about your schooling," he muttered, meaning to sound indifferent but his voice came out soft, almost caring. So they weren't so different after all.  
_"Gracias amigo." The atmosphere had gotten very dense and awkward over the last few  
exchanges of words. The face that Antonio had lied didn't make it any better. A depressed aura had surrounded them, making each man look sad in his own way._

Looking up from his coffee, he sneaked a glance at Antonio. He was handsome surely, with his ruffled brown hair and tanned skin, his eyes that shone with a happy playful glow. But looking up now, Lovino saw that his expression had changed - he could only describe it as the sun being covered up by a sea of clouds. It didn't feel right. He took an awkward sip of his coffee, which was starting to grow cold.  
_Antonio glanced up, aiming to look back out the window but stopping when he caught the Italian staring at him. He smiled to himself. Lovino looked so much better when he wasn't crying. His hazel eyes were big and round, giving off the impression of innocence. His lips were pursed around the rim of his mug, and faint colour still lingered in his cheeks. An odd curl stuck out from the left side of his head. Antonio smiled once more; everything about Lovino rang cute to him, even though he had known him for less than an hour. _

_"How is your cannoli?"  
_He immediately averted his glance back to the table when Antonio's shining olive eyes met his. He silently prayed that he wasn't blushing again.

"It's actually very good," he admitted. It was true, it was creamy and flaky, like the desserts he and his brother used to bake as children. Feeling a twinge of pain in his chest, he quickly shook the memory away. "How's your cake?" he added timidly.  
_ "Fantástico. My mother would always make cake like this. That's probably why this was her favourite café. Would you like to try some?" Antonio pushed it across the table, sending his spoon along with it.  
_Deciding it would be rude to refuse, Lovino took a very small bite with his own spoon. It was delicious. He shrugged.

"It's okay." he mumbled. Why couldn't he be better with conversation? Cautiously, he pushed the plate back to Antonio, not looking at him.

_ Antonio smiled once more; Lovino was too cute. "So Lovi..." He started, trailing off. For the first time in their entire conversation, Antonio was at a loss for words to say to the Italian. All he wanted to do was to stare into his eyes, but he didn't think that would sit well with Lovino. He settled for looking out the window instead.  
_Lovino almost laughed. The Spaniard was so dazed, one minute he couldn't stop talking and the next he would run out of things to say. He secretly thought it was adorable. "Lovi.." he repeated to himself. No one had called him 'Lovi' since he was a child.

He looked up at Antonio, "You seem to be fascinated with whatever is outside."_  
"Am I? Lo siento. I should be focusing on you more." Antonio laughed. "But I am looking for the sun. It's always made me feel better, and right now I wouldn't mind seeing it." He took another sip of his coffee, staring at the liquid and thinking before continuing. "Of course, you're doing an admirable job taking the sun's place."  
_Folding his arms, he sunk back slightly in his seat. He snorted, "If you're looking for sunshine, I think you have the wrong man." he snapped, though his eyes were soft. He didn't know it, but his expression was almost sad._  
"Oh really?" Antonio leaned forward, searching Lovino's face. His expression was somber, almost depressed. Determined to make that expression disappear, he reached forward and put a hand on Lovino's cheek. "I don't think you know what you're talking about. I think I've found the perfect man."_ Lovino found that he couldn't keep his eyes from Antonio's loving gaze. His hand was warm and comforting against his cheeks which were surely burning again now. He looked down, part flattered and part confused, searching for something to say. "Y-You barely know me."_  
Antonio smiled. Lovino tried to put his head down, but Antonio kept their eyes locked before speaking, "Whether I know you or not, I know that I would like to. Let me get to know you Lovi. Please." Antonio's emerald eyes pleaded with Lovino.  
_"Um.. well.." he clumsily began. Staring into Antonio's eyes made Lovino feel strangely comforted. He sighed, why would anyone, especially someone as beautiful as Antonio, want to get to know **him**? He let out a small defeated sigh. "If you insist, bastard."_  
Antonio's face lit up like a child's on Christmas morning. He clapped his hands repeatedly, "Great! This is muy bien!" He turned toward the waitress, waiving her down. "La cuenta, por favor." Soon, they were on their way out of the cafe.  
_

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**REVIEW OR I WILL EAT YOUR BABIES! :-3**

**~Renee and Aly  
**_  
_


	3. Chapter 3

**Neither Renee nor I own Hetalia. The characters belong to their respective owners. All we take claim for is the plot.**

**Now, enjoy~!**

Lovino couldn't help but grin slightly at Antonio's childlike expression. He wondered how someone who had yelled at him earlier could suddenly be so **happy**. However he did it, Lovino didn't want him to stop. They had been in the café for a long time; the sky was considerably darker with the changing season. He didn't notice it, but he was walking a bit closer to Antonio than he had on the way to the café.

_"What do you want to do now, Lovi?" Antonio was practically bouncing on the balls of his feet. Excitement had welled up inside of him and was threatening to burst out if he didn't do something soon._

This time Lovino did laugh. Why did Antonio have to be so adorable? He gave a small shrug, shyly staring at his feet. "You dragged me out here, you pick."

_"Oh nononono! I picked the café, now you should pick whatever else!" Thunder rolled across the sky and raindrops started falling. "¡Rápidamente!" _

He glanced up to the rumbling sky, huge drops of rain beginning to splash onto the sidewalk. He thought quickly, "Um, would you like to come to my place?" he stumbled. He didn't even know what they would do when they got there, but some part of him wanted Antonio to stay with him.

_"I would love to." Antonio took a deep breath before grasping Lovi's hand, hoping beyond hope he wouldn't pull away or cuss him out. When nothing happened, Antonio smiled through the rain and said, "Lead the way."_

Lovino's breath hitched slightly at Antonio's warm grasp, but he hesitantly entwined his fingers with the other's. Everything about Antonio was warm and loving, and deep down Lovino was afraid that he would get frustrated with his personality and move on. But he didn't want to think about that now.

_Antonio's heart skipped a beat when he felt Lovino's fingers intertwine with his own. His warm hands were a stark contrast to the freezing water. They had been outside for less than thirty seconds, but it had already started raining buckets. Water soaked Antonio, running down his face and chest. He shivered, wishing he had his jacket back, but not willing to ask for it. He had more pressing matters to think about, like how Lovi had just reacted._

Turning a corner, he headed in the direction of his small neighborhood. The rain poured down harder; water was now dripping from Lovi's head. "It's not much but..." he trailed off, spitting out water.

_ The Italian led them to a small neighbourhood and they stopped in front of the last house on the street. "Not much? It's beautiful!" Antonio gazed at the tiny house. Lovi was right; it wasn't much, but he appreciated it all the same. Anything to get him inside from the rain was welcome._

He scoffed, "I tried alright?" he muttered under his breath, reaching into his pocket to get out his key to unlock the door. The inside of his house wasn't filthy, but more of just a disorganized clutter of things. He didn't have company often. He grunted, slightly embarrassed, and kicked a few boxes out of his way.

_Almost everything Lovino said made Antonio smile. The house was cozy on the inside. Any open space was filled with something or another, giving off the air of a disorganised mess, but a mess that one could live with. Antonio sneezed, covering his mouth with an elbow and then smiling sheepishly. "Lo siento Lovi."_

Lovino rubbed his neck nervously. Was his home really that dusty? "Mi dispiace for the mess," he apologized before looking down and seeing that he was still holding onto the Spaniard's hand.

_"It's not the mess, it's the weather." Antonio said, sneezing and coughing repeatedly. "Rain never agreed with me." Antonio squeezed Lovi's hand reassuringly._

Lovino looked at Antonio like one would look like a lonely puppy left out in the rain. A wave of guilt washed over him, "Bastard! You should have taken your coat back! You're soaking wet!" he worried, staring at him with panicked hazel eyes.

_Another sheepish grin broke out across Antonio's face. "It's nothing. I'm fine." The Spaniard was anything but fine. His hair was plastered to his forehead and his white, button-down shirt was completely soaked through; practially transparent. His sneezed had subsided into coughing fits._

Clearly panicked now, Lovino led the sneezing Spaniard to the couch and sat down next to him, pulling up a blanket that had been pushed onto the floor from when Lovino would fall asleep on his couch. He wrapped it around Antonio's shoulders, not bothering to think of why he suddenly cared so much. "I can make another pot of coffee or something..." he trailed off, his eyes not leaving the shivering man's.

_ "You know what would make me warmer?" Antonio said, smiling micheviously._

_"_Hm?" Lovino replied, still not used to the other's brilliant grin.

_Antonio stretched out his arms, opening and closing his hands as if reaching for something. "Hug. Ahora."  
_At first, he leaned back slightly, shocked. He couldn't even remember the last time he had hugged anyone. Eventually, though every voice in his stubborn mind was scolding him not to, he sighed and hesitantly closed the gap of space between them by wrapping his small arms around Antonio's wet frame. His heart raced in his chest, and he wondered if the other could feel it.

_Antonio's arms circled around Lovi, pulling him closer. "Gracias, mi tomate." His fingers ran through the smaller man's hair before he pulled away, grinning. "I think I may have gotten you wet."_

Lovino let out a shaky laugh when the man pulled away. He would never admit it, but he almost wished that he hadn't let go. "I'm already damp from the rain don't worry," he said with a grin. When was the last time he had smiled this much in less than an hour?

_"Look Lovi! You're turning red again!" Antonio grabbed Lovi's face and pulled it closer, staring at his cheeks. "So cute~"_

"Agh!" Lovino silently cursed his bashful nature. "Quit that!" he whined, glaring at the Spaniard's grinning face, which he now realized was only inches from his own.

_Both Antonio's brain and his heart had become painfully aware of the almost nonexistent space separating their two faces. He smiled, searching Lovino's face. His heart screamed for him to close the distance between their lips, but his brain said otherwise. They were both overruled as his throat seized up, preparing a cough. At the last second, he pulled away._

Lovino blinked rapidly as though he had been awakened from a trance. "Gosh, this is my fault.. cazzo.." he whispered to himself before looking back to the sniffling man at his side. The rain continued to poor heavily onto Lovino's small roof. "Maybe you should stay here tonight," he grumbled, "The rain isn't letting up." He was practically shaking from nervousness.

_ "No no...it's fine." Antonio sneezed once more. "I don't want to be a bother for you." He shivered. His wet clothes were not helping his current condition in the slightest._

"I don't mind, really!" he blurted before catching himself, "Um, if y-you don't want to then that's fine." He aimlessly picked at a loose string on his sweater. A loud clap of thunder ripped through the clouds outside, making the tiny house almost shake.

_ "You're sure you don't mind?" An enormous clap of thunder sounded, making Antonio turn around and look out the window. He shivered again, doubting that he would be able to walk home in this weather._

"No, stay." Without thinking, Lovino leaned over wrapped his arms around Antonio again when he shivered. He stiffened, fearing he had gotten the wrong signals.

_ The Italian's sudden affection was surprising but welcome all the same. "Gracias, Lovi." His hands ran through the smaller man's hair once again before he became very aware of the hotness of Lovi's skin, very contradictory to the cold of his clothes. "Um Lovi? You wouldn't happen to have clothes I can change into, would you?"_

Lovino backed away almost instantly, "Un momento." He dashed down the hallway and into his bedroom, fishing through his drawers to find something that would fit the Spaniard. During his search, he panicked inside his head. Why is he letting a Spanish man he met on the street stay at his house? Why was he being so friendly and kind even though Lovino had been so rude? Why did his heart beat so fast when he touched him? He hurried back to the living room, trying shake off his bouncing thoughts. "Sorry they're so small," he sighed, handing a t-shirt and sweatpants to Antonio.

_"Gracias again. Can you show me where the bathroom is, so I can change?" Antonio stood up from the couch, no longer sopping wet but still uncomfortable. _

"Down the hall, take a left." he pointed down the hallway he had just been down.

_"Grazie amici." Antonio in the direction he had been pointed. Once he got into the bathroom, he broke out in sweat and had to steady himself on the sink. His heart was beating madly in his chest, almost in time with the crazy thoughts that spun in and out of his head. Was there the possibility that Lovino liked him? If not, why had he been so affectionate? And if so, how much did the Italian like him? He stripped, still thinking wildly._

Lovino stood, not bringing himself to sit down. He felt dizzy, this was all happening too fast. He tried to think little of it, Antonio would spend the night and then he'd leave and they'd never see each other again, right? A volt of pain shot through his veins at this thought, and he came to the painful realization that he did not want Antonio to leave. He sighed, feeling hopeless.

_Antonio splashed his face with cold water repeatedly, mentally smacking himself. Get a grip, Antonio! He thought, smacking himself physically this time. He could not have fallen for Lovino. He had known the man for what, approximately two hours? The face that he was staying over his house was nothing; he would've done the same for anyone, given the situation. The fact that he was wearing his clothes was nothing also, or so Antonio tried to tell himself that._

Drumming his fingers impatiently, Lovino finally brought himself to move to turn the TV on, so the room had a little more noise than just the pouring rain. He heard the water running in the bathroom and wondered if Antonio was okay, but he didn't want to seem bothersome. Dammit, why did he care so much about the stupid Spaniard?

_Antonio breathed deeply once more before opening the door and walking back to the living room. Lovino had turned the TV on. Its noise was calming and it let Antonio clear his mind more._

Lovino turned at the creak of the door opening. Seeing Antonio in Lovino's small sweats made his cheeks burn again, but thankfully it was darker in the room now. He sat on the couch with his knees tucked into his chest.

_ Antonio sat down next to Lovino. He focused on the TV for a brief second, barely registering what it was showing before more pressing matters caught his attention. Lovino was so close._

It wasn't that late, but Lovino could already feel his eyelids becoming heavy. He glanced once at the man at his side before staring back at the television, his heart soaring in his chest. Was this ever going to end?

_ Tension increased. Where was the easygoing atmosphere that they had had only minutes before? This new tension was not welcome, at all._

Leaning back into the couch, he let out a shaky breath. His palms were beginning to sweat slightly. Lovino felt like shouting in anger and confusion, why couldn't he just get over the fact that Antonio just needed a place to stay for the night and that it was nothing more? His eyes were only half open - he was exhausted.

_ More tension-filled minutes passed. Antonio snuck a glance at Lovino. His face had calmed and his breathing evened out. Had he fallen asleep? Antonio gazed at Lovino's face, taking in every feature. The constant scowl that had etched permanent lines had disappeared, leaving Lovi looking peaceful and like a child again._

Lost in his thoughts, Lovino couldn't help but give into his exhaustion. Part asleep, he didn't even notice that he was slightly leaning against Antonio.

_ "Lovi?" Antonio called softly. When no answer came, he leaned back against the couch. Lovino fell over, his head resting on Antonio's torso. His mouth was opened slightly as he slept._

For the first time in a while, Lovino actually dreamed. He dreamed of laying in a field with Antonio, the air filled with not the bitter cold of autumn but the soft warmth of spring. They lay hand in hand, just talking about pointless things. It was strangely peaceful in a way Lovino didn't know. He ever so slightly smiled in his sleep.

_ Antonio stared at the Italian for a little while longer, admiring his face. Lovino smiled slightly in his sleep. The change was so minuscule that Antonio almost barely saw it. Antonio however, smiled largely and picked up Lovino from the couch. He walked down the hallway, past the bathroom, and into what had to be Lovino's bedroom._

Lovino's eyes fluttered softly, registering that he was being moved. He didn't want to awake his sweet dream, though he'd never admit that if he were conscious.

_ Walking in the room, it was a miracle Antonio didn't trip and fall. Boxes, discarded clothes, and all other sorts of items were strewn everywhere. After some struggle, he made it to the bed and placed Lovino down on it gently._

His eyes opened halfway, and he felt that he was in his bed. Confused and half asleep, he mumbled, "A-Antonio?"

_ Lovino's half-lidded eyes look up him. __"Si, mi tomate. I am here."_

Lovino smiled, still lost in his dream. "Toni.." he whispered.

_"Go back to sleep, Lovi. I am here." Antonio kissed Lovino on the forehead, letting his lips linger for the smallest amount of time._

Though he may have imagined it, Lovino thought he could feel a light kiss on his forehead. He sighed and turned to lay on his side, falling asleep again.

_ Antonio turned on his heel and walked out of the room, shutting the door gently behind him._

**Read and review!**

**~Aly and Renee**


	4. Chapter 4

**Neither Renee nor I own Hetalia. The characters belong to their respective owners. All we take claim for is the plot.**

**Now, enjoy~!  
**

* * *

Lovino woke up with a jolt, fearing he had overslept. Agh! He was supposed to be at the catina at... oh. He growled in realization that he didn't have a job anymore. Lazily sliding out of his bed, he yawned. The clock read 9:21AM. He ruffled his hair, about to go to the kitchen to make breakfast, when all of the memories from yesterday came flooding back to him. Antonio! Lovino rushed down the hallway and into the living room, finding the Spaniard missing, the couch ruffled from where he must have slept. So that was it then. He just needed a place to stay. How foolish was he to think that he might actually...

"La mia testa," he groaned, placing a hand to his temple. He was just about to shove together a bowl of cereal when something colorful caught his eye. He turned to face his small dining table, where a small bundle of roses lay. Lovino's heart skipped a beat as he walked over to inspect the beautiful arrangement. A small note-card was placed next to the flowers, a message written in neat cursive. "Meet me at the cafe later if you'd like. -Antonio"  
_By now, Lovino had probably gotten up and found the bouquet. His cheeks were probably turning red this second, almost as red as the roses. Antonio smiled just thinking of his little tomate's face. Antonio sighed, wishing he could've stayed._

_He walked back to the window, grabbing his table's orders from the ledge and carrying them over. No sooner than he had placed them on the table and turned his back did a cough wrack through his body. He sighed, sniffling and walked to the bathroom to wash his hands once more.  
_With a sudden burst of energy, Lovino placed the lovely bouquet of roses into a glass of water, since he never had a reason to own a vase. He raced to his bedroom, stripping off his street clothes that he had accidentally slept in the night before and putting on one of his nicer shirts - a beige button down shirt with a collar. After throwing on some jeans, swishing his mouth with mouthwash, and combing through his light brown hair (except for that one annoying curl that would never join with the rest of his hair), he headed out the door. It was his whole body had a mind of its own as it carried him down the street, like nothing else in the world mattered but seeing Antonio. He prayed that he was heading in the right direction._  
"Are you okay, Antonio?" One of his co-workers named Arthur asked. "You've been sneezing and coughing all day."_

_Antonio sniffled, trying to hide it. "I'm good. I just got caught in the rain - ACHOO!" He narrowly missed sneezing all over Arthur's tray of food._

_Arthur grimaced. "Go home lad. I'll cover for you."_

_"Are you sure?" Antonio didn't really want to leave; What if Lovino came by, looking for him? Another fit of coughing came over him._

_"I'm sure. It's slow anyways; Go home before you get everyone else sick."_

_Antonio sighed, defeated. "All right. Thanks amigo. Oh, and if someone comes for me, tell them I'm sorry, si?" He said, pulling on his jacket._

_"I'll pass the message along." Arthur waved at Antonio's back as he walked through the cafe doors._

It was considerably colder than yesterday. Lovino wrapped his light jacket tighter against his frame, his hands in his pockets. The café was just up ahead. He felt his heart beating rapidly in his chest as he opened the door, looking around but not finding Antonio anywhere. Shaking slightly, he went to sit down at a nearby table. Maybe Antonio was just running late. He folded his arms across his torso, his eyes starting to sting.  
_The bitter wind bit at any uncovered skin, leaving Antonio's hair windswept and his bones chilled. By the time he got back to his apartment, he was coughing uncontrollably. He locked the door behind him, walking over to the kitchenette and putting on a pot of coffee before falling onto the couch. He didn't even have time to take his coat off before he coughed again, this time shivering.  
_More long minutes passed. Where was Antonio? He was just about to see if there was a newspaper stand nearby when a blonde waiter came up to him.

"Would you like anything?" he asked politely. Lovino thought he recognized an English accent.

"No," Lovino grumbled. The man was just about to walk away when Lovino spoke again, "You haven't happened to see a slow Spaniard here, have you?" he asked, glaring at the waiter.

The blonde made a face that almost showed pity. "Ah, Antonio was here earlier. Caught a pretty bad cold, mentioned that someone would come by for him," his words were kind, but Lovino gritted his teeth, "If you are that someone, he sends his apologies." He paused, slightly nervous at Lovino's angry expression, "Are you sure you don't want anything?"

Lovino didn't respond. He shoved his chair into the table and flung open the door of the cafe. Such a fool! Why would anyone, especially someone as handsome as Antonio, care about a grumpy Italian stranger? He stomped down the sidewalk, angrily wiping tears from his eyes with his coat sleeve.  
_The coffee pot beeped. Antonio made no movement to get it though; he was thoroughly exhausted, both physically and mentally. He rolled over on the couch, groaning and sneezing, shrugging out of his coat before settling face down in the pillows. Another sneezing fit wracked his body, ending in violent coughing._

Passing by an apartment building, Lovino suddenly felt very weak. His burst of energy was completely diminished, and he was left feeling drained and betrayed. A pile of dead leaves lay swept at the edge of the sidewalk, to which Lovino found it necessary to kick in frustration. Doing this however ended up making him feel worse, as he remembered that the whole reason the two met was because of him kicking a pile of leaves in Antonio's face. Antonio's face… his cheerful smile... his sparkling green eyes..

How could he possibly forget about him?

When he finally reached his house, he kicked the door open, mentally scolding himself for not locking it. 'Course there wasn't much to take in the small home anyway. Shrugging off his jacket, he was just about to throw it onto the couch when his eyes caught the beautiful bunch of roses sitting in a glass of water, untouched. Lovino, feeling as though he had been stabbed, flopped onto the sofa and burst into tears.  
_The coughing fit got worse. Chills wracked his entire body, leaving him shivering for minutes after it ended. His face began to get very hot; he was burning up. Groaning, Antonio stood slowly and walked to his bathroom. He turned the water on to the coldest setting it would go and stripped before stepping inside. _

_The intense cold brought a little clarity to his overworked head. Different emotions washed through him at once: grief, guilt, disappointment, pain and rage were the most prominent. Why couldn't be have stayed? He could've had his break with Lovi and everything would've been fine. Antonio missed Lovi. He had known him for less than a day, but his brain was telling him that he needed his little tomato. _

_Or maybe that was the infection speaking._

Lovino mentally cursed at himself.** Get over it, dammit. He's just a guy. A stupid, Spanish guy who failed school. Why do you need him?** Staining his beige dress shirt wiping his tears, he brought himself to turn on the TV. What was meant to be a distracted winded up only making him more upset, remembering sitting next to him on the sofa. How did he even wind up in his bed? He didn't remember walking into his bedroom. Shrugging off the thought, he tucked his knees to his chest and hoped that wherever Antonio was, he was okay.  
_Whichever one, Antonio was determined to get to his tomato before his tomato forgot about him. He turned off the water and threw on a pair of flannel sleeping pants. Stumbling across the hall, he barely registered that he was walking out without a shirt on until he got outside. Once the cold air hit him, he turned and dragged himself back to his apartment.  
_Staring at the TV, Lovino willed himself to just focus on the screen. He vaguely considered looking for jobs online, but in truth he was too upset to even think about work. He sulked into the couch, too lazy to get up to change into his pajamas._  
Rather than taking the stairs, Antonio went over to the elevator and waited for it to come down. His arms ached, and his head felt light. He whimpered, half-falling into the elevator from exhaustion when it finally came. He got to his floor, threw open the door, grabbed whatever jacket was closest, then set out once more, this time, not half naked._

_The air outside was cold. It nipped at his face, and his uncovered hands and feet. The walk to Lovino's house was torture. Twice he fell over after his joints locked up, landing on the pavement. Three times he had to stop and sit down, breathing heavily and exhausted. By the time he got to the small house he had visited the day before, he was ready to faint.  
_

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**Descriptive chapter is descriptive! Hoorah! Read and review!**

**~Renee and Aly**


	5. Chapter 5

**Neither Renee nor I own Hetalia. The characters belong to their respective owners. All we take claim for is the plot.**

**Now, enjoy~!  
**

* * *

He was just about to nod off when Lovino heard a noise outside his house. He groaned, not in the mood to talk to anyone. Sliding off the couch again, he looked out the window and gasped when he saw who was barely standing by his doorway. Flinging open the door, a new, panicked energy swept through him - not as welcome as the first.

_"H-hola." was all Antonio could get out before he collapsed._

"A-Antonio!" Lovino choked in horror, rushing over to the ill Spaniard. Grabbing the man's hands, he tried to help him up stand up. "Are you fucking mad? You don't even have any shoes on!" he stammered, his voice shaking slightly. His words came out a little meaner than he had intended.

_"I, I wanted to see you...since I couldn't earlier..." he huffed, smiling weakly at Lovi. "I missed my tomate."_

Lovino blushed, but he didn't have the heart to object, especially with Antonio in this condition. He dragged him through the doorway, trying to keep him balanced. "You look terrible!" he blurted. "I-I mean.. you're very sick.. you shouldn't have come here." Guilt suddenly washed over him for the way he had acted earlier. How could he be mad at Antonio if he had put in this much effort in to see him?

_"Pero...mi tomate was here...not there..." Antonio feebly pointed back in the general direction he had come, then down to the floor. A chill went through him and he shivered. "Agua, por favor?"_

Lovino didn't hesitate. He led the shivering man to the couch, just like he had the night before. Without saying a word, he wrapped the blanket on top of him and went to the kitchen to get a glass of water, briefly glancing at the roses that still stood just as beautiful as they were when Lovino had found them that morning. Filling another glass with water, he returned to the living room and placed the glass on the coffee table, not daring to make eye contact with Antonio.

_A coughing fit began. "G-gracias..."_

Letting out a small sigh, Lovino removed a shaking hand from the glass. What was he supposed to do? And why did he care so much? "De nada," he mumbled.  
_A thousand things were wrong with Antonio at once. His flesh, heated beyond normal temperature, was scarily chilled at the same time. All his muscles ached, as if he had just been to the gym for a whole week straight. His head hurt; ached actually. All he could do was sigh shakily._  
Risking a glance at Antonio, Lovino almost gasped. His thoughts clouded from panic, he knelt down next to Antonio. "You should see a doctor," he whispered, his hazel eyes beginning to sting again.

_"Ah...I d-don't think I'm in any condition to see one, Lovi." However bad he looked, he tried to mask the pain in his voice so as not to make Lovino worry anymore._

"Shush." He could clearly see Antonio was trying to hide his pain. "I can drive you there. Rest for now." he spoke quickly and quietly, trying to hide his own panic. Glancing up, he noticed that he had unknowingly begun to run his fingers through Antonio's hair. He felt so hot. Lovino would never admit it, but deep down he just wanted to curl up next to Antonio and make everything magically be okay.  
_"Thank you Lovi." All Antonio wanted to do was rest and, once Lovi gave him permission, he was able to do just that. He closed his eyes and drifted off into darkness.  
_Lovino sighed. Why did Antonio come here, to see him, of all people? They had only known each other for less than a day, yet Lovino thought and worried about him like he was family. Glancing over, he noticed Antonio's nostrils flaring slightly in his sleep. How beautiful he was, even when he was so ill. He leaned over and placed his hand gently on the Spaniard's forehead. It still felt as though fire were burning underneath his tanned skin. Not knowing what else to do, he walked over to his thermometer and turned the heat down in attempt to lower Antonio's temperature and went to the kitchen to prepare lunch.

* * *

_The smell of tomatoes slowly pulled Antonio back into reality. His eyes fluttered open. Emerald globes wandered the room, taking everything in. The television was on, though the volume was low. A pine coffee table - which had been covered with clutter the night before - was now clean of all mess. The room itself was almost empty except from the necessary things. Looks like Lovi had cleaned up some.  
_Walking back into the living room, Lovino carried two plates of pasta with a special tomato sauce that his grandpa always used to make for him and his brother. He nearly jumped with he noticed that Antonio was awake. "Good afternoon," he spoke with an unusually cheerful vibe. Placing the two plates down on the coffee table, he sat down on a small chair nearby.

_"Buongiorno Lovi." The pasta looked delicious; it smelled just as good. Antonio picked up one fork, his hand shaking slightly._

"How're you feeling?" he questioned, though he could clearly see that Antonio still was not doing well. Picking at his own pasta, he wondered when he should take him to the doctor.

_"Ah, my head doesn't hurt as much, thank you for asking." He spooned a small amount of pasta into his mouth._

Not perfectly healthy like what he wanted to hear, but Lovino decided that feeling a little better was better than feeling worse. "That's good I suppose," he muttered.

_ "It's muy bien Lovi," Antonio put a tiny bit more food into his mouth. "Where did you learn to cook like this?"_

Lovino couldn't help but grin softly. Everyone usually preferred his brother's cooking over his own. "Grazie," he replied, "My grandpa taught my brother and I when we were young." He took a small bite from his own plate.

_ "Well then you must have learned a lot from your grandfather." Antonio smiled and ate more of the pasta, speaking slowly. It warmed him from the inside out._

"I try," Lovino tried to sound indifferent, but he couldn't help but smiling at Antonio's delight. Antonio seemed to be the only one who could make him smile like that.

_"I'm sorry Lovi." Antonio looked down, staring at his food._

"You have nothing to be sorry for," Lovino spoke quickly, shoving another bite of pasta into his mouth.

_"I'm being such a burden to you. I shouldn't have come. I should've stayed home so I wouldn't bother you." A solitary cough escaped._

He looked up from his plate and stared at Antonio with honest green eyes, "Yes, running out of your house with no shoes on to see **me** was an **incredibly** stupid idea," he agreed before adding softly, "But I'm glad you did… even if I don't get why." Embarrassed that he had said too much, he looked down and pushed a few noodles on his plate.

_ Antonio laughed weakly. "You may be the only person who would do this for me. Thank you, again."_

"Consider it my debt repaid for the coffee," he replied with a shrug.

_"But you already repaid that debt when you let me stay over." Antonio was insistent. "I'm in your debt now, and I plan to pay you back."_

Lovino rolled his eyes, "Let's at least get you healthy first."

_"Good idea amigo." Antonio picked up his fork again and started eating, savoring every bite._

Twirling his fork aimlessly in his fingers, Lovino tried to keep his thoughts clear. He still wasn't very good with caring for sick people. He exhaled, not knowing what else to say.

_"Um, Lovi?" Antonio sighed, his temperature starting to rise again. "Do you mind if I take my jacket off?"_

"Oh!" Lovino breathed in realization. Why hadn't he noticed that Antonio was still wearing his jacket? "Si, um, I can take it." he spoke the first words that came to his head as he walked over to help him.

_ "Gracias." Antonio started to unzip his jacket, unaware that he had no shirt on underneath. His mind was too preoccupied on getting his temperature to go down._

Lovino's heart fluttered in his chest when he realized the Spaniard wasn't wearing anything under his jacket. Even when he was sick, Antonio had a beautifully tan and toned body that the flustered little Italian couldn't help but admire. He neatly folded his jacket and placed it on the top of the couch. Glancing at the coffee table, he noticed the empty water glass. Without another word, he picked it up and headed to the kitchen to refill it.

_Antonio leaned back on the couch, breathing deeply. The heat inside his head was spreading, making him shiver and sweat. He closed his eyes, willing for the sickness to go away._  
Deciding that fluids and rest wouldn't be enough, Lovino quietly swept into the bathroom and fished out two fever reducing pills. He never really had a need for them, but now he knew someone that did. It was strange, caring for a person that he'd only known for two days, and yet Lovino felt as though he had known Antonio for years. He returned to the living room, placing the glass of water on the table and the two pills beside them. "Take these."  
_Antonio's eyes fluttered open slightly, staring at the glass and the little white pills on the table. He took them in one hand, placing them on his tongue before picking up the glass with a shaky hand. The glass moved to his lips and he drank, some of the water spilling down his neck._  
Lovino watched with an almost pitiful expression on his face. The cheerful man who teased him at the little cafe yesterday had been replaced by a weak burning illness - and for some reason, he wanted that man back more than anything. All there was left to do was pray the pills would knock the sickness out.  
_He drank all of the water, savoring its sweet, cool taste. Once he finished, he put it down on the table and leaned back again, whispering "Grazie" before closing his eyes again.  
_Goosebumps coated Lovino's small frame at Antonio's whispered Italian. "Prego." he mumbled, almost inaudible._  
A soft humming sounded throughout the room. Antonio was humming quietly, a Spanish song. The humming stopped and his lips moved to the words of the song and the tune in his head_.  
At the quiet Spanish lyrics, Lovino turned to see Antonio moving his lips softly. Was he asleep? He sat back down quietly in his chair, turning down the television volume by a just a few notches. The song was beautiful. _He_ was beautiful. Lovino tried to blink his thoughts away - he was obviously deluding himself. _  
Soon, Antonio's breathing evened out and he fell into a peaceful sleep. While he was sleeping, he dreamt. He dreamt of Lovino, his big eyes and his adorable smile. He dreamt of the feel of Lovino's soft hands on his skin, his breath on his face. He dreamt of the man sleeping, calm and peaceful and cute. The dream was beautiful; _he_ was beautiful. Antonio smiled in his sleep.  
_At the silence, Lovino half smiled. How could someone who was so sick and so lost sing and laugh as though nothing in the world mattered? Antonio was a strange man, but the young Italian admired him. He sat for a while, part of him wanting to take his plate back to the kitchen, another part afraid that it would disturb the sleeping man. When Lovino found himself staring at him again, he noticed a small smile forming on Antonio's lips. Chuckling softly to himself, Lovino vaguely wondered what he was dreaming about. He leaned back into his seat, shivering slightly - it was colder in the room now to lower Antonio's fever. He decided it didn't matter.

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**You know the drill.**

**~Aly and Renee**


	6. Chapter 6

**Neither Renee nor I own Hetalia. The characters belong to their respective owners. All we take claim for is the plot.**

**Now, enjoy~!  
**

* * *

_Emerald eyes fluttered open. Antonio looked around, still slightly sleepy. Their dishes had been cleared from the table, leaving nothing behind. He stood, stretching. Looking down he realised that he was missing a shit; he on his jacket, vaguely registering that he had slept in Lovino's house half-naked. Shaking his head, he walked into the kitchen._

Lovino awoke at the sound of footsteps. What happened? Had he dozed off? Looking toward the sound, he felt an unusual rush of his heart beating at the sight of Antonio.

"You're awake," he mumbled, not even sure if Antonio could hear him.

_"Si. Thank you for the medicine." Antonio ruffled Lovi's hair, loving the way he looked, still half-asleep._

"You sure needed it," he grumbled, glaring at the other. Antonio looked much better now, some of his usual cheerfulness restored. He slunk our of his chair and rubbed his eyes, his beige dress shirt now wrinkled.

_Antonio sheepishly grinned; he felt much better after Lovi had taken care of him. "Can I treat you to dinner, Lovi? As a thank you for taking care of me."_

Lovino blinked in confusion. "Are you sure you're well enough?" he questioned. Without thinking, he placed his hand to Antonio's forehead. It wasn't near as warm as before.

_"I feel much better, thank you." Antonio smiled again. "Look, if you're still worried, then letting me treat you is the only way to make you feel better." He removed the hand from his forehead and kissed it._

"What? I'm n-not worried!" He instinctively pulled from the smiling man's warm hand and scowled, not daring to make eye contact with those stupid sparkling green eyes. Glancing down, he almost wished he hadn't pulled away.

_Lovi's face flushed red, making him look like the little tomato he was. Antonio laughed. "Dinner then?" He asked again, this time making eye contact._

Damnit. He wasn't going to give up, was he? "If it'll get you to stop nagging me," he muttered without as much bite in his words as normal.

_Antonio smiled and stood. He started planning out a very nice evening for the two of them; he wasn't going to let the flu stop him."Muy bien! Get changed, and wear your fanciest clothes. I will be back in half an hour." Before he ran out the door, he checked the clock: 5:15._

Lovino opened his mouth to object, but before he could think of anything to say Antonio as already out the door. He exhaled, a rush of excitement, nervousness, and a bit of something else stirred in his blod. Was this a…date? After standing, completely dumbfound, he jolted back to his senses and rushed to his bedroom. He had no idea what was going on, but he couldn't help but enjoy it.

_ Antonio ran over to his apartment building. It probably wasn't the best idea, considering he did have the flu, but he ran nonetheless. On the way, he pulled out his phone and called for reservations as the most celebrated restaurant in town. Once he got back to his apartment building, he showered and started getting ready._

A thousand thoughts buzzed through Lovino's head as he dried his hair with a towel and put on his best shirt and pants. He had no idea where Antonio as even taking him, and why? After all, they had just met a few days before, and yet Lovino thought of him as an old friend that he hadn't seen in years. Which was odd, considering he had never been one to make very many friends. He combed through his hair, aside from his wild curl that he gave up trying to take long ago. He was just about to put away his comb when he spotted a small bottle of cologne his grandpa had given him for his birthday several years ago. It was near full, since Lovino never had a use for it. But today was special, right? He sprayed once, almost laughing at himself.

_Antonio walked up to his second closet, opening it and staring inside for a good five minutes before he even moved. "Has it always been this big?" he mused aloud, surprised. It had been a good six months since he had paid any attention to it. The closet was big enough for him to walk into; probably big enough for him to fit another bed into. It was equipped with everything he could ever need for clothes, let alone for a date. Antonio shook his head and smiled, making a mental note to tell Francis to move out __**all **__of his clothes next time._

_ Searching through the racks, he found the perfect black tuxedo. It was crisp and clean, freshly pressed. That was to be expected considering it had never been worn. Antonio dressed, buttoning up the white shirt underneath before walking back into the bathroom to try and tame his hair._

Minutes passed by like hours. Lovino stared at himself in the mirror, close to a panic. What if he overdressed? What if he under-dressed? "Breathe, you fool." he scolded himself. Fixing his tie, he told himself to sit down. It was as if every thread of caution and stubbornness Lovino has learned to lace through himself was being yanked away and tossed to the ground, and all that was left was a very nervous and flustered Italian. He glanced at the clock - 5:23.

_ Finally able to tame the beast, Antonio breathed deeply and looked at himself in the mirror. His outfit looked nice; very appropriate for the restaurant they were going to. He brushed a little bit of lint off his pants before looking at the clock: 5:35. He had ten more minutes before his half hour was up. Ten minutes was reasonable enough for him to get to Lovi's house. He picked up his jacket and walked out, locking the door behind him._

Drumming his fingers impatiently, Lovino stared at his television and took occasional sips of water in a pathetic attempt to keep him from a complete panic. He had never really been on a real **date **before, not without his family. Lost in his busy mind, he nearly shrieked in surprise when he heard a soft knock at the door. Oh no. He wasn't ready for this. He forced his feet to move and opened the door with a shaky hand.

_ "Hola~" Antonio looked Lovi up and down, his heart racing slightly. The Italian had changed into black slacks and a red shirt, accentuated by a black tie. Antonio caught his breath, blushing slightly. _

_ "You look muy guapo, Lovi."_

Lovino looked up. Was Antonio… blushing? He smiled a completely natural smile, "You clean up nice yourself." he laughed, feeling strangely social, though his heart still beat rapidly in his chest. "Shall we?"

_ Antonio's nerves melted away as Lovi smiled. He reached forward, grabbing Lovino's hand. "We shall."_

His shaking calmed at Antonio's grasp. This time, he made no move to pull away.

"Just where are we going anyway?" he asked, feeling unusually confident. He couldn't stop admiring at how handsome the Spaniard looked in his beautiful dark tuxedo, and vaguely wished he had dressed better.

_ "My friend owns the best restaurant in town. He's been bothering me to come in with a date, and so I thought that I should bring you, since you are the perfect date."_

Lovino stiffened. "I-I'm far from perfect," he stammered, almost glum. Of course he would never admit it, but deep down he was always worried about not being good enough. He was always the one in the shadows. "But…" he sighed, "It is nice of you to take me."

_ Antonio stopped in his tracks. With his free hand, he grabbed Lovino's chin and pulled it forward. "Lovi. You are perfection to me. Everything about you is perfect, from your head to your toes to your smile. Don't you ever, __**ever**__ let anyone tell you differently." After the lecture, Antonio smiled lightly. "Please."_

Startled by Antonio's sudden but light touch, Lovino's blood froze. No one has ever told him something so…personal. Part of him wanted to insult Antonio for deluding himself, to prove that he was nothing but a stubborn Italian who could never make anything good of his life. He couldn't find the words to speak, so he just nodded. Another part of him told him that he wasn't good enough. He stood on his toes, as though he were being lifted by an invisible force, and kissed the Spaniard lightly on the cheek.

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**Fluffy chapter is fluffy!**

**Read and review!**

**~Renee and Aly**


	7. Chapter 7

**Neither Renee nor I own Hetalia. The characters belong to their respective owners. All we take claim for is the plot.**

**Now, enjoy~!  
**

* * *

_Antonio smiled and kissed Lovi back. His lips lingered for a little bit, savoring the moment before he pulled away and they started walking again. "So Lovi, tell me about yourself."_

Lovino almost laughed. He seemed to keep forgetting that they had only known each other for a few days. And yet here they were, walking hand in hand to a fancy restaurant. "What's there to know really?" he paused before he realized that Antonio was serious. He rubbed his neck, "Er, well.. I'm from Italy. I have a younger brother named Feliciano. We lived with Grandpa, and I just recently moved out. I used to work at a catina but.. well.. stuff happened." he scowled.

_Antonio clicked his tongue and shook his head. "They lost a great person when they fired you." Antonio turned them down Main St., looking up and down for the restaurant. It had been at least three months since he had been there, so his memory of its location was slightly rusty. Soon, it came into view, huge and extravagant._

He shrugged; "I'd have to disag-" he stopped short at the view of the restaurant. This.. was a restaurant? It looked like a palace! Beautiful golden bells and elegant fountains lined the outside. It was extravagant, beautiful, and /expensive/. "Your friend owns.. /this/ place?" he stared in awe.

_The Spaniard smiled at Lovino's expression. "Si, he used to be my roommate, but he moved out a couple of weeks ago. I guess he wanted a more extravagant apartment to match his extravagant taste." They waked past the valet parking, through the marble columns and into the glass doors. An elaborate fountain greeted them, right behind the host's table._

Lovino barely heard what Antonio had said - everything in the restaurant was simply captivating. He had never been somewhere this large and fancy in his life! Still holding onto the other's hand, he followed him closely.

_"Ah, Antonio! It is so good to see you again!" The host, a blonde man with wavy hair and striking blue eyes, moved from behind the table and hugged Antonio. "Once I heard you had made reservations, I decided to show up and be the host for the night." He smiled brightly. "And this must be your date?"_

_"Good to see you too, Francis." Antonio smiled back. "Si, this is Lovino Vargas. Lovi, this is Francis Bonnefoy. He is the owner here."_

The Italian shrunk back shyly. "Ciao," he spoke, barely recognizing that he wasn't speaking English.

_"Bonjour, mon ami." Francis winked at Antonio and led them forward to their table. Handing them two menus, Francis bowed slightly, smiling once more before walking away._

The table was beautifully set - a perfectly white tablecloth and many different forks and spoons sat by a plate with a pretty design. Lovino sat down a bit awkwardly, trying not to look like a fool. He knew enough to take the napkin that was folded into a neat pattern on his plate and place it on his lap, at least. "So, I haven't heard about you yet?"

_Antonio sat down across from Lovi, mimicking his movement and placing the napkin in his lap. "What do you want to know?"_

"Everything there is to know," he replied with a shrug.

_Antonio folded his hands and placed his chin on top of them before he began speaking. "There's not much to say really. I came back here from Spain three years ago to study. Unfortunately, I didn't take the studying seriously enough and was kicked out. I guess being an engineer wasn't the right choice for me._

_"Francis, the man you met earlier, is one of my best friends. We've known each other since grade school; I was the one who always kept him from getting in trouble with girls. My other best friend, Gilbert, works here too. He's the bartender." Antonio looked at Lovi. "Anything else?"_

Lovino bit his lip to keep from letting out a laugh. This easygoing Spaniard as an **engineer**? Still, he did feel some sort of pity for him, as he was in a parallel situation. And yet it seemed that Antonio saw life in such a brighter way - no wonder he had such good friends. He shifted in his seat, taking a small sip of the water that had just been poured for them. "They seem friendly," was all he could think of to say.

_"Friendly, yes. But they have many flaws. Francis is the most open person about sex I've ever met, and Gilbert can be a-" He was cut off as two pale arms wrapped around him from behind, nearly choking him._

_"Antonio! I knew you would come! My awesomeness attracted you, didn't it?" A man with platinum blonde hair and red eyes leaned over the Spaniard's shoulder, grinning wide._

"You must be Gilbert," Lovino mumbled, forcing an awkward smile. He was never really a polite person, but being rude would be a bad impression on Antonio - and for some reason, that really mattered. It bothered him.

_Antonio smiled at Lovino's effort. He appreciated it; the last thing he needed was his best friends disapproving of his date. "Si. Lovi, this is Gilbert Beilschmeidt. Gilbert, this is Lo-"_

_"Gilbert Beilschmeidt, the awesomest person in town, at your service." He bowed with a flourish. Antonio rolled his eyes at his friend's antics. "And you are?"_

What an ego. "I'm Lovino Vargas," he replied to the pale man with a half grin. Antonio had strange friends, but they seemed okay enough.

_"Well Lovino, you better treat my Spaniard here with the utmost respect, got it?" Gilbert gave Lovi a friendly punch. "Or else my awesomeness and I are gonna have to teach you a lesson." A jumble of_ _angry-sounding French floated towards them. They looked and saw Francis stomping their way, red-faced._

_"Uh oh. I better get back to work before Francy-Pants over there gets his silk panties in a knot. See you two lovers later!" And with that, Gilbert snuck away, back to the bar._

"Nice friends," Lovino let out a small laugh. His arm would probably be bruised from where Gilbert had punched him, but oh well. He opened up one of the two menus that had been sitting by their plates, trying to use the same technique of hiding his slightly pink face in it like he had done at the cafe.

_Antonio laughed also. "Si, you get used to them." He picked up the other menu, noticing how Lovi used it to hide his face. "Do you know what you would like?"_

Looking over the menu, Lovino realized that he had never had French food before. Everything was so different, with so many different choices and options on the choices. He shrugged, "Do you know what's good here?"

_"How could I not? My roommate for three years owns this place. He would always use Gil and I as his test subjects." Antonio scanned his own menu, eyeing it carefully. "How do you feel about seafood? The bouillabaisse here is muy bien, from what I remember."_

"Lucky you," he replied, imagining what it would be like to eat samples here all the time. "Bouillabaisse?" he tried to pronounce the word, but it didn't come out very well in his Italian accent, "What is it?"

_A smile broke out on Antonio's face as Lovino tried to pronounce it. "It is mostly seafood: lobster, sea bass, squid, clams, oysters, almost every animal in the sea gets put in it."_

Lovino's eyes widened, "Wow.. that, er, sounds like a lot." His stomach twisted at the thought of eating part of a slimy squid.

_Antonio could see Lovi's discomfort. "Something else then. Do you see that item on your menu, three down from the bouilabaisse? The boeuf bourguingnon? That roughly translates to beef stew in English."_

He shifted his eyes down the menu, "Hm, I'll try it I suppose." he shifted awkwardly in his seat, still feeling out of place in such a fancy restaurant, "What are you going to have?"

_"Potatoes in cheese. Doesn't sound very French, does it? But it's fantastico." A waiter walked over with a chiller and a bottle of champagne in his hand. As he poured two glasses, Antonio tried to stop him. "Senor, I did not order any champagne."_

_"This bottle is on the house, sir. Our bartender and the owner sent it." Antonio looked over at the bar and saw Gilbert standing there, a sly grin on his face._

Champagne? Lovino looked down, trying to hide a small smile. It had been such a long time since he had a drink that he forgot what champagne even tasted like. He glanced at Antonio and wondered if he even knew when he was speaking Spanish or English - secretly, he found it adorable.

_With a shake of the head and a smile, Antonio thanked the waiter. "Tell them i said gracias, and to mind their own business, por favor."_

_The waiter walked away. Antonio picked up his glass, swirling it slightly before he inclined it towards Lovino. "To Lovi."_

Mimicking his action, Lovino held up his own glass and scowled at Antonio's constant affection. "To Toni." he muttered before taking a small sip of the bubbling alcohol, still trying to hide his smile.

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**Yay fluffy romance! Read and review!**

**~Aly and Renee**


	8. Chapter 8

**Neither Renee nor I own Hetalia. The characters belong to their respective owners. All we take claim for is the plot.**

**Now, enjoy~!**

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"_So Lovi, how did you like the meal?" Antonio took off both his normal jacket and the tuxedo jacket, hanging them up by the door. They had walked back to Antonio's apartment after the meal, and now they were just relaxing. "Can I take your coat?"_

Lovino shrugged out of his jacket and handed it to the Spaniard, his head still a bit foggy from the champagne, "Delizioso! It was nice that your friends offered it to us for free~," he laughed a little, looking around Antonio's apartment. It was much cleaner than his, and he suddenly felt a little embarrassed of his own home.

"_Haha, si! That must have been the surprise I was promised." Antonio walked into the kitchenette, pouring two large glasses of ice water._

He wandered a bit clumsily around the room, taking a look at Antonio's Spanish decorations. Everything was colorful and bright, and he vaguely wondered what it was like in Spain. "Nice home," he blurted, turning back to the other.

_"You like it?" Antonio handed one of the glasses over. "Muy bien! I was worried I would be too Spanish for your liking." he walked over to the television, turning it on before sitting on the couch. A tan hand patted the seat next to him, motioning for Lovi to come sit._

"No, it's.." he searched for an adjective, "Interesting." Straightening his shirt, he joined the Spaniard on the couch, suddenly feeling a bit nervous again. He accepted the cool glass and took small sips, trying to ward away the whirling dizziness in his head.

"_Bien." Antonio wrapped an arm around Lovino's shoulder and pulled him closer. A small cough escaped from his throat, one he quickly tried to hide._

"Are you sure you're feeling better?" Lovino leaned slightly against the Spaniard's shoulder, content but still not completely relaxed. He dropped his eyes in concern.

_"Do not worry about me. As long as I have mi tomate by my side, I'm happy." Antonio cuddled Lovi._

Lovino's facial expression didn't change. He stiffened slightly, but he didn't move away. It was so odd, having someone think of him the way people usually thought about his brother.. he shook the thought away. "Thanks. For everything." he mumbled, still looking down.

"_But I haven't done anything." The Spaniard used his fingers to massage small circles into Lovi's arms, trying to coax him into relaxing._

"You've done… a lot.." he sighed, shifting his legs onto the couch without thinking it through. He felt more content than he had in a long time, but maybe it was just the champagne. "More than you know."

_He closed his eyes, wrapping his arms around Lovino's waist and letting himself sink into the warmth. "You have done just as much for me, Lovi." He turned the others head, making eye contact. "Just as much, if not more." He moved closer slowly, bringing their lips together._

Lovino froze at the touch of the Spaniard's soft lips, uncertain at first, but too stunned to pull away. He kissed him back gently, closing his eyes partway.

_Antonio let himself fall into bliss, thinking only about the soft warmth of Lovi's lips. He stared at Lovino's half-lidded eyes as a wave of want flushed over him. He wanted to stare into those chocolate brown pools forever, to get lost in them. He wanted to kiss Lovi all over, from his head to his toes. He wanted Lovi to be his; he needed it. But for now, all he could do was to settle for kissing Lovi's lips._

Sighing softly, Lovino felt a jolt of longing mixed with laces of fear rush through his blood. His heart in turn beat rapidly as he dared to inch closer to the emerald-eyed man, his mind wiped of any stubborn rejections.

_Antonio felt Lovino move closer. Spurred on by the Italian's obvious excitement, he closed his eyes and laced his fingers into the younger man's hair, pulling them together._

He gasped slightly at Antonio's eagerness, but obeyed. They were so /close/ now - the world around them seemed to disappear. Cautiously, he wrapped his small arms around the other's shoulders.

_Antonio smiled into the kiss as Lovi's arms glided around his shoulders. He used the arm that wasn't in Lovi's hair to reach down around the smaller man's waist, scooting his hips forward until Lovi was practically sitting on his lap._

Feeling a jolt of courage, the Italian allowed his tongue to brush slightly against the other's lip before darting away shyly. Almost clinging to Antonio, his head began to feel light, as though he had forgotten how to breathe.

_Antonio responded to the tease by rubbing his own tongue against Lovi's lips. The muscle swirled all around, touching every corner and crevice. The Spaniard inhaled sharply, not used to the feeling of Lovino's lips._

Lovino allowed his eyes to close fully, his small frame falling neatly into the other's muscular one. Having not had former experience, he darted his tongue hesitantly, hoping he wasn't making any mistakes.

_The Spaniard nipped at Lovino's bottom lip, a small moan escaping his throat. He brought his hand from Lovi's hair and moved it to his waist so he could untuck and begin to remove the shirt. His hips jerked forward erratically, making him moan even more as his hands traveled up the small frame._

Lovino entwined his arms around the Spaniard's neck, straining to hold on to the last threads of self-control he had. He tilted his head and deepened the kiss, vaguely aware of his shirt being untucked.

_Heat started pooling in his slacks as Antonio felt the kiss deepen. Desperate for more, he broke the kiss and started unbuttoning Lovino's shirt. As his hands were occupied, he panted for breath and whispered sweet nothings to the Italian, kissing his earlobe._

He paused only a moment to catch his breath before mimicking Antonio by sliding off his shirt, his thoughts taken over by a wave of lust and confusion. He shrugged his own shirt off his shoulders, tracing his fingers along Antonio's chest.

_Antonio shivered as small hands traced his chest. He practically ripped off his own shirt, fabric tearing and buttons ripping. Once the offending article of clothing was out of the way, he leaned forward and captured Lovi's lips again, pushing him down on his back._

Crashing back into the couch, the flustered Italian stared up at Antonio's beautiful green eyes for a moment before his lips were captured in a kiss once again. A small noise escaped his lips as he returned the kiss, thrusting hips slightly.

_Antonio bit softly at the other's bottom lip, asking for entrance. While he waited for an answer, his hands trailed up and down Lovino's chest, feeling up every part of him. Antonio straddled Lovi's hips, smiling slightly as he felt the others erection poke into his own._

A shudder through the smaller man's body at Antonio's touch. He opened his mouth in response, his tongue swiping gently at the other's lips, daring him to go further.

_Antonio plunged his tongue into Lovino's mouth, exploring the wet cavern. His hand tweaked pink nipples, rubbing them until they stood. His exploration was reward when he captured the others tongue, the two swirling around in a battle for dominance. The taste of champegane alerted Antonio to the fact that his newfound love could be drunk, and that thought made him pull away._

Panting, he rose back on his haunches and looked Lovi up and down. A light sheen of sweat covered his pale chest, the pink nubs standing up even more than usual. Kiss-bruised lips were opened slightly, as were his eyes. The chocolate orbs were filled to the brim with lust.

"Lovi...are you sure?"

Panting slightly, Lovino reached his hand up to touch Antonio's face, but the tanned skin and messy brown hair blurred before him, and he ended up brushing his shoulder. His head pounded and his thoughts tangled in a hopeless tangle of confusion and lust. He spoke a slurred hum in response, loosing track of his sense. A weak smile formed on his lips.

_Antonio smiled weakly back, his heart breaking. The slurred speech and incoherent movements were all signs that Lovi was drunk. He mentally smacked himself for believing that Lovi was aware of his actions. Sighing, Antonio stood from the couch and bent down, picking the drunk Italian up bridal-style. He tried not to meet Lovi's eyes as he brought him into his bedroom._

Lovino blinked, barely registering that he was being lifted until he was placed into his bed. Drunken fatigue was pulling on him, but one dusty corner of his heart kept him conscious. He reached for the other's hand as though he were in a dream, barely brushing his fingertips against it. The taller man's eyes focused on the floor, not daring to meet his own. Lovino's eyelids became heavy as he spoke in a slurred whisper, "**Non andare**..."

_Antonio grasped Lovi's hand. He placed the Italian on his bed, pulling the covers up and tucking him in before walking around to the other side and laying down. He wrapped two his arms around the smaller man, pulling him close, and whispered, "Me quedadé," hoping Lovi wouldn't hear how his voice shook._

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**Translations: Non andare means "Do not go" in Italian and Me quedadé means "I will stay" in Spanish. Or at least I hope it does.**

**Read and review~**

(Aly) Notice: I am currently on hiatus, so updates on this story may be a bit slow. I apologize for the inconvenience x

**~Renee and Aly**


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